David Allen Murphy, 40, from Carmarthen, has been handed a suspended sentence and banned from keeping animals for 10 years after his dog suffered unnecessarily with a skin disease. Murphy caused unnecessary suffering to a Collie-cross German Shepherd called Cora by failing to adequately investigate and address her condition.
Discovery and veterinary assessment
Cora was found tied to a tree or bush on December 27 last year and was taken to a vet by police. RSPCA Inspector Keith Hogben said the dog had an obvious skin condition and had been seen with Murphy. Police contacted Inspector Hogben on December 29, and when he saw Cora she had “an obvious skin condition with hair loss on its neck and lower back”.
She had been clipped or shaved at the vets and was on medication. Photos showed the “bald patches” on her before treatment. Cora was taken into police possession and handed into RSPCA care.
Vet's statement
A vet's written statement said Cora's veterinary history showed the “elderly dog was very itchy with severe skin disease with moist dermatitis scabbed over on both flanks, chronic skin changes around her ears and on the top of the body was a very itchy area with fur loss and very thickened skin indicating a long standing issue”. The vet added: “She also was found to have multiple masses over her body mostly in the mammary area.”
The vet said the vets clipped and cleaned the affected areas, gave treatments for parasites, applied soothing cream, and started steroid medication to reduce itchiness. The vet said it would have taken Cora “a number of weeks to months to reach the condition that she was found in with the chronic changes found over her body and will have suffered unnecessarily for that entire time, not only physically with the irritation and the scabbing changes within the skin but also mental due to the inability to resolve that constant irritation over a prolonged period”.
Court proceedings
Murphy, of Quay Street, Carmarthen, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal. He was sentenced at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on July 24 to 18 weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months. He was also ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work and a 25-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement order.
In addition to the 10-year animal ban, he was ordered to pay £600 costs and a £150 victim surcharge. In mitigation, it was heard that he loved the dog and had drug issues.
Following sentencing, Inspector Hogben said: “Every animal deserves to be treated with kindness and respect and if you have a pet you are responsible for making sure they are happy and healthy. We would urge anyone struggling to seek help.”
